The North (Closed)

[KieranSoares]

"You're my sister," Blair murmured. "And you're protecting Jane and my Ma despite what I did. I'm with you."

"Trust me," Andre spoke up, drawing everyone's attention who hadn't seen him in a while. "Fiona considers that kind of thing decent and normal. There's a lot more. We all look after each other and Fiona makes sure we have everything we need, as well as safety and peace when the fight is over. There's no stronger voice out there for dragons and werefolk. You're in good hands. I was an Imperial major meant to fight these people and take their dragons once. Now... Here I am." He smiled to Riley at that.

Blair smiled slightly as well, earning a chuckle as she mentioned, "It's still a little weird to think I have a niece barely younger than me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Twenty years ago on this soil, we didn't know if there even would be a Riley. I fought as Ghis women did before me, ignoring everyone's advice simply because I felt like I could win that war. I killed an emperor, but still lost Inverness." Fiona said, looking over at her daughter. "But she proved to be as stubborn as any little creature has ever been."

"It should have been a warning for the future." Riley said with a grin to her mother.

"Oh, trust me, we all saw it as a warning." Fiona chuckled. "It didn't help that everyone encouraged your behavior."

 

[KieranSoares]

Blair couldn't help a quiet chuckle, looking up as Jani insisted, "You can't blame me for all of it either. You Ghis already made her stubborn before I was willing to deal with her. I don't do babies."

"Nonsense," Danica protested. "After that first time Fiona put her in your arms, you loved that little kit and promised her the stars. You tried to convince Fiona to let you take her to Iceland the moment she could walk."

Everyone burst into laughter at that. Jani tried to feign offense but couldn't help joining in.

"Whatever I try to say to argue, someone's going to point out she's technically my kid now," Jani said between laughter. "Andre's Ma made sure I'd lose all my bravado."

"To Dola, then," Danica spoke up, raising her glass. "For finally putting this woman in her place. Married only months now and Jani's her loyal lost puppy." Another round of laughter followed as the Riders raised their drinks to the beautiful Wolf and her marriage to the now-blushing Icelander.

 

[heartofcourage]

The toasts and merriment went on as meals were served through the gathering. Before Fiona had really eaten her fill, she was up and moving around. She would return to her officers, but there were a few dragons that she wanted to greet personally. She had seen Marth join them, the young dragon still aching from the loss of Gia. Even if she hadn't felt that sharp loss of young love, she could see it in his one good eye. He was still mourning, just as Andre was.

Approaching him as he sat off to himself, Fiona gently laid a bandaged hand on his arm. "I'm glad that you came. I'm sorry for your loss, Marth. I hope that Rory bringing your mother in from the Haven was of some comfort to you."

Riley had been so focused on Andre that she had asked Rory to call in the woman who had raised Marth, hoping that maybe having his mother there would lessen the blow of Gia's death and the absence of his rider to other duties.

 

[KieranSoares]

Marth, while not quite as lost as Andre had been, hadn't shown any of his usual energy and vibrancy since Gia's fall. He still worked and had even started to pull more than his weight as a way to make up for Riley, letting her tend to Andre. Marth himself hadn't accepted much comfort thus far, insisting people worry about Andre instead. But as Fiona approached, the young dragon laid down and placed his head down beside her.

"Yeah," he confirmed quietly as Fiona mentioned Yula's arrival. "I think she likes being able to baby me again." He glanced off toward some of the other dragons. "Sorry if I'm not being social. I don't want anyone to think they have to try to cheer me up or include me."

Looking back to Fiona, he sighed quietly. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm not the one who lost their partner. Gia and I... we weren't mates or anything." He tried to downplay it, but his relationship with Gia had been quietly blossoming despite the war. His natural energy and sweetness had charmed her, and he had always admired her strength and resolve. It had been obvious that they'd end up mates, they just hadn't gotten that far yet, wanting to take things slow and easy.

 

[heartofcourage]

"She was a hard dragon to get to know." Fiona said softly as Marth laid his head down beside her to talk properly. "It's alright to mourn her. You loved her in your own way. With Andre partnered up again and Riley able to leave his side, I'm sure that she'll start to focus on you too. Don't shy away from them. You might even ask Andre for a piece of her scale. He was working on a project when I met with him earlier and there will certainly be something left."

 

[KieranSoares]

Marth was going to insist it wasn't his place to ask for such a thing, but he paused and slowly nodded. "Maybe... I can ask Riley to make something with it," he muttered. "Ma has a bracelet made with pieces of my birth mother's scales... It's a little different for a dragon, but maybe we can make something similar."

Looking to Fiona again, his bright blue eye a bit shadowed from his grief, Marth murmured, "I appreciate you wanting to look after me too. Even before I was Riley's partner, you always made sure Ma and I were well cared for at the Haven when I was growing up. Despite the losses... I'm glad I'm here to return some of that and get you home."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona pressed her forehead against Marth's maw, closing her eyes as she connected with him for a brief moment before she gave him a small smile. "You'll be alright. Just don't lose sight of what you know is important."

She left Marth's side and mingled with the dragons, speaking with each as she came upon them. It made her feel good to ground herself as she connected with each. The one that she was most interested in greeting, however, was the oldest dragon that she knew still in service. Old Anh was nearly blind and only used as a messenger, but the dragon from South Asia was spry and as wise as they came.

"Anh." Fiona said as she came upon the golden dragon resting next to a fire, pigs and cows roasting as she patiently waited for her meal. "It does me a world of good every time that I see you."

 

[KieranSoares]

The golden dragon, nearly five-hundred years old, was slim and her scales darkened and tarnished with age, but she was still an impressive figure and commanded immense respect for her service long, long before practically any of the other dragons were born, save the elders among them. She smiled at hearing Fiona's voice, glancing down with her dimmed golden eyes but only able to make out rough shapes. "And it's good to hear your voice again, my dear... I wondered if I would at all. But then again, I shouldn't have doubted your stubbornness." She leaned down slowly to see Fiona properly, having to lay her head down within a few feet of her to see any detail.

"Tell me, little Caller," her raspy, warm voice rumbled, "How are you, truly?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"As stubborn as you believe me to be." Fiona murmured as she gently placed her hands on Ahn's maw, letting the golden dragon feel her bandages. "A bit beaten up, but healing thanks to my family."

She knew that Ahn would most likely be able to smell the herbs and medicines that had been used on her hands and the bandages to help with her healing. "There are things that you and I must talk about, however. Things that you might be the only one that can give me information about."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I will offer all I can, dear Caller," Ahn assured her, sighing quietly at the warm connection. "I have my retirement to discuss with you as well. But after you are home."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Tomorrow, we will meet." Fiona said, noticing that Ahn seemed to relax as Fiona provided a bit of comfort. "And you deserve a long rest. I'd give it to you now if you would take it."

She knew that Ahn, like the rest of the dragons, stayed because of loyalty. They wouldn't rest until they saw her to her end goal, whatever it would be. Even if they were in their twilight, they were going to give it their all.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tomorrow," Ahn agreed contentedly.

Through the evening, several veteran dragons spoke with Fiona one-on-one and so did several of her longest-standing Riders who'd seen the fall of Inverness. They all shared a similar sentiment: they wanted to see Fiona home.

Many of the younger Riders gathered up for cards, drink, and even a few songs. Jani was sure to join in, proving she still had the energy of her youth. The greenhorns looked up to her and hung on her stories of glorious warriors and battles past. She'd even attracted new, young Icelandic Riders to the North's cause in the past couple years, and she had a special bond with them and their partners. Danica was in the mix too with her sons, while Costa and Ezra preferred the calm of older circles.

Late in the evening when many of the Riders began to turn in, one last person approached Fiona. After seeing a tipsy Jani to bed, Dola came to sit by Fiona's side and placed down a small sealed clay pot. "Alex was asking among the werefolk healers for some ideas to help you along. This will help manage the pain and stiffness, and help with the scars a bit."

The beautiful Wolf offered a gentle smile. She had considered Fiona family long before her marriage to Jani or Andre's to Riley. "And... I wanted to share something with you. Maybe I need a second opinion from someone a little more rational than my wife. And a fellow mother."

 

[heartofcourage]

"At this point, I'm willing to try anything to speed up my healing." Fiona said as she looked over the sealed pot and then glanced at Dola as the wolf asked to share something with her. "We're family now, Dola. Of course, you can share anything with me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"While Jani was healing, we had a lot of time to talk over the future," Dola began softly. "What we wanted out of life if the North achieves a new peacetime, where we would live, what we would do for work and such... That sort of thing. We talked a lot about Koah and your Riley too, supporting their dreams to explore and their plans to live in Norway. Jani wants to live here in Scotland to be close to you. She's made it very clear that she will be a Northern Rider until she falls or until she can't climb into her saddle anymore. I think she's every bit as loyal to you as she is to me."

Dola smiled at that, always having admired Jani's devotion. "I would never ask her to compromise that loyalty or go far from her dearest shield-siblings, as she calls your circle. And with the dragons, living a ways from Koah wouldn't be a problem. But the thing that we talked most about was something I've wanted for a long, long time, and Jani is absolutely terrified of."

Looking up at Fiona, she murmured, "If I had been freed when I was younger and found a safe place, I would've had more children. But considering I have a wife and I don't care to deal with being pregnant ever again... We talked about adopting. Jani has been petrified of little children for the longest time, I hear. She barely had the courage to be around your Riley til she was old enough to be a little independent. But I think age and marriage has softened my love a bit. She was actually interested, but still terrified."

Looking off toward the horizon, Dola added, "And I know you and Samuel have talked about having another of your own too... I thought it might be nice for our little ones to grow up together if that was still in the cards for you two. I know Sam seems smitten with the idea."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You know what struggle is, Dola." Fiona said softly, looking down at the small pot of lotion in her hands as a distraction. "I raised my brother Will from the time that he was a wee toddler until he was well on his way to become the head of Soma's calvary along with his Uncle Ciaran. With Samuel, we knew that we loved one another, but we fought so viciously that we didn't know just what our future held. We were together and then apart and then we broke one another's hearts, but we stayed together. Then we were having Riley and I was scared to death. What kind of mother was I going to be when I never had one that was worth anything? And Gods, she tested me."

Fiona glanced up at Dola then, shaking her head. "Even without Jani encouraging her, she tested me. It was like she had been put into my life to pay for every sin and misdeed I had ever committed. Then came Soma, who was as easy as the summer breeze, but Riley was jealous. She felt like the baby was stealing us away. I don't think anyone outside of Sam and Schaller knew how I was fighting a war for Scotland in the Norwegian court and a war at home with my own daughter."

"I never thought I was a good mother. I always felt like I was too distant with my children. It wasn't until Tati that I realized that I did have a connection with each of them, just in a different way." She said with a long sigh. "Sam and I do talk about having another. For the first time in my life, I feel like I'M the one ready for it."

 

[KieranSoares]

Dola listened quietly as Fiona told of the internal struggle she'd had for the past two decades. Wrapping an arm around Fiona, Dola hugged her gently to her side as a quiet show of support, one mother to another.

"It seems we have had many similar fears, despite very different circumstances," Dola murmured. "You know the story with Koah. And even if he was a wonderful boy, everything around us was a struggle. I think... I think you and I are both at a point in our lives where we're ready to try this on our own terms without some looming shadow over our shoulders. But you should take heart in the fact that you raised a daring, loyal warrior, a brilliant future king, and you have one more on her way to becoming a great Rider and caretaker. I can see Tati following in Rory's footsteps someday. And despite everything, I managed to raise a loving man who wants nothing more than to look after the women in his life. I think we both did well."

Dola offered a smile, wrapping her hands around Fiona's, her touch gentle and the warmth of her hands comforting in the chilly evening. "I would love to raise my own little one alongside yours when you and Sam are ready." She then leaned in to whisper with a chuckle, "And we can terrorize Jani together. A little payback for how often she's exasperated you."

 

[heartofcourage]

After finding common ground with Dola, there was one final stop that Fiona wanted to make. The elder Ghis were still around their campfire, the three brothers and Selena all reminiscing about times gone by.

“Can a lowly queen join you?” Fiona asked with a slight smile. “Or will you tell me to fuck off as you often do with those bearing crowns?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"The Queen of Inverness is always welcome at our fire," Boar grunted with a grin as Brogan welcomed Fiona to sit beside him.

"We were just talkin' about you, actually," Durban muttered with a smile. "You've managed t'be one of the best queens Inverness 'as ever known, despite not bein' there for twenty years. You've managed t'keep our people afloat an' cared for in foreign lands, all while turnin' Sam soft when we were all sure it couldn't be done."

His siblings chuckled at that, and Brogan added, "But he's managed to be a good king all this time too, lookin' after his people between bein' a father an' patriarch. We're proud of you two."

 

[heartofcourage]

“hmmmm….I’m not sure if that makes me a good queen or a witch like the legends say.” Fiona countered back. “And flattery is not going to get you anything from me, Durban. The king already has your name. Any child born from this point on will be named after my side of the family.”

She grinned at the eldest brother as they welcomed her into their inner circle. “Besides, Katherine of Skye left quite the legacy to live up to.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ain't flattery if it's the truth, little love," Durban told her with a fond smile. "What brings the Rider Queen out t'see us?"

Sam's family had always adored and respected her from the moment she proved she would move mountains for her newfound family, even before she was engaged. From saving Heather to protecting Kjersten to getting revenge for King Gallus nearly being assassinated, she had the family at her beckon call early and they'd been steadfastly behind her ever since.

 

[heartofcourage]

"The problem with being the love of a fearsome warrior is that he will not give me the training that I need." Fiona said as she looked around at the elder Ghis siblings. "Royer knew what he was doing when he turned a blind eye to his son's misdeeds. He took away my ability to fight him sword to sword. Sam only wants me to heal and care for me. I need men and women that can help me wield that sword and claymore again."

"Oh, don't ask Boar for that. His head has been swollen since he came from Ma's womb. You'll only make it larger." Selena said as she teased her little brother.

"I'm serious." Fiona said with a small chuckle. "You all know how to fight with your wounds. It took me far too long to get back on my feet last year. I don't know that any of you have ever been crucified, but I don't recommend it."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan reached down to Boar's side, pulling free the hatchet he always carried on his hip, and he offered it out to Fiona. "Show me where you're at so far," he murmured, letting her take hold of the handle before he tugged on it firmly to see how strong her grip was thus far.

"I've been managin' arthritis fer a few years now," Durban offered as he watched. "I can definitely offer some help there."

"An' when one part of yer body doesn't work as well as ye'd like, you make up for it with other parts and specialized tools," Boar encouraged. "Sam migh' be a little too soft with you right now, but after the supports he built into your armor for your hip, I'd bet he can figure out something fer your gloves t'give you a little extra help.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona carefully unwrapped her hands as Brogan offered her the hatchet handle. Leaving the splints on her still healing fingers, she was still mindful of the central wounds to her palms, but it was much easier to grip anything without the slick bandages making her completely useless.

"Perhaps a new pair of gloves is in order." She murmured as he pulled the hatchet from her grip far too easily for her liking. "And something for the wrist."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And some texture on those gloves t'help grip. Sam's a fine leatherworker too, he can help with that. If he's too gentle t'put you through your paces, he can at least give you the tools y'need." Brogan handed the hatchet back to Boar, taking Fiona's hand in both his own to inspect. "Definitely gonna need t'heal a bit more before we do anything fast-paced. But Durban has a whole morning routine t'help keep his grip strong an' his fingers agile. Start with that an' we'll add on more as you improve."

As the go-to master of arms and training in the family and the one who'd gotten all the younger family members started, Brogan had a good mind for planning such things. Patting her hand lightly, Brogan smiled to Fiona. "Soon we'll have you playin' tug-o-war with Roman an' winning."